


Ethereally Yours

by pushingcrazies



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hints at preslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-22
Updated: 2012-02-22
Packaged: 2017-10-31 14:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/345042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pushingcrazies/pseuds/pushingcrazies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Reichenbach.  It's late at night, Lestrade has been drinking, and he receives a text out of nowhere with some suspiciously familiar initials.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ethereally Yours

Fourth ficlet for Tor

Lestrade slouched into his apartment, grabbed a glass, opened his new bottle of whiskey, and tossed back a shot before he even bothered to shrug off his coat.  His emptied his pockets onto the coffee table: wallet, keys, bank notes.  Mobile.  Wasn’t even sure why he kept the blasted thing anymore.  No one ever phone him these days.

Which, of course, was the perfect cue for it to light up, telling him he had a new text message.  Lestrade squeezed his eyes shut; it was probably Mycroft.  Again.  Best to get this over with as quickly as possible.  He picked up the mobile, settled onto the couch, and opened it, prepared to tell him to bugger off.

He froze when he read the text message.

_I am an atheist –SH_

He read it, blinked, read it again, then tossed back more whiskey for good measure.  Surely he was hallucinating.  The phone lit up again.

_If you received a text, ignore it.  It was a mistake. –SH_

No, he definitely wasn’t hallucinating.  His hands shook as he typed.

_Sherlock? –GL_

There was a long pause, then: _No.  Who’s Sherlock?_

No initials.  The man knew he’d been caught out.  _Nice try, Sherlock.  What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing? –GL_

There was a long pause before the next text.  _You cannot tell anyone that I’m alive.  Please.  It’s for their own safety.  I didn’t mean to type your number. –SH_

Lestrade sent off four texts in as rapid succession as he could muster.

_Where are you? –GL_

_Don’t move –GL_

_I’m coming to get you –GL_

_Take you home to John –GL_

The response was less than helpful.  _Don’t come get me.  I’m fine, Lestrade.  It’s not safe –SH_

Lestrade poured some more whiskey into his glass and sipped at it before he found the courage to say _I have to see you.  Please.  The way we left things…. –GL_

_You need to act like this has not happened.  I’m still dead to you –SH_

Lestrade hung his head.  Someone was messing with him, or…or this was a hallucination.  Or something.  Sherlock wasn’t still alive.

_I’ve heard that John hasn’t done as I asked.  I asked him to tell everyone I’m a fraud.  Am I right in assuming he’s done the opposite? –SH_

Lestrade snorted.  _Of course he’s done the opposite.  Not that anyone believes him –GL_

There was something hesitant about Sherlock’s next question.  _Do you believe him? –SH_

_I never doubted you for a second, Sunshine.  Anderson and Donovan went above my head, there was nothing I could do –GL_

Lestrade could hear the disdain pouring from his mobile when Sherlock’s reply came through.  _Oh them.  Have you fired Anderson yet?  And don’t call me Sunshine –SH_

He hadn’t heard, then.  _I’m in no position to fire anyone at the moment –GL_

The reply was instantaneous and urgent.  _What do yo mean?  What’s wrong –SH_

_Don’t worry about it.  You need to worry about yourself –GL_

_No.  Tell me.  What happened?  I can handle myself just fine. –SH_

_There was an inquisition. I lost my job –GL_ It felt good to finally tell someone he considered a friend.  _Dimmock and Gregson are hanging on by a thread –GL_

_…Because they all think I was a fraud –SH_

_Every case you ever touched is under scrutiny _GL_

 The reply was a long time coming, but when it did, Lestrade’s eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

_Lestrade…I’m sorry. –SH_

_I didn’t realise.  I’ll be back soon though.  I just need to find the rest of Moriarty’s men and take care of them –SH_

_Please tell me you’re not working out there on your own –GL_

_Of course I’m alone. –SH_

_You need someone who’ll keep you in line –GL_

_I can manage myself –SH_

Lestrade nearly snorted whiskey out his nose.  _Ha!  So how do you explain how I met you six years ago?  Completely strung out and half dead.  You need someone.  You need John –GL_

_Alone is better.  Alone protects me…and John.  He’s better off without me right now –SH_

_He isn’t though.  Talk to Mycroft.  He’ll tell you just how ‘better off’ John is without you.  I had to take his gun away for fear…well. –GL_

There was another long pause.  _I didn’t think he’d take it so hard.  I thought I could make him just hate me, then he wouldn’t mourn me. –SH_

_Well, I guess even the great and glorious Sherlock is allowed to make mistakes every once in a while –GL_

_It wasn’t a mistake.  He just acted differently than I anticipated.  This is not my mistake.  I don’t make mistakes –SH_

_If you were here right now, I’d slap you. –GL_

_It would be justified. –SH_

_John’s not the only one who misses you, you know.  I got…the call from Mycroft of all people.  John wouldn’t do it.  He doesn’t speak to me anymore. –GL_

_He  hates me. –GL_  It hurt more than he had anticipated to admit it out loud (well, in text message).

_At least you managed to get his gun. –SH_

_Sorry, that wasn’t funny –SH_

_Are you making jokes now?  Dear lord, the world must be ending –GL_

_I try, on occasion –SH_

_Oh, shut up –SH_

Lestrade laughed, a full, loud laugh.  _Haha.  That’s the first time I’ve laughed in a really long time –GL_

_I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that you’re laughing at me –SH_

_With you, Sunshine.  I’m laughing WITH you –GL_

_Oh.  That’s new.  Stop calling me Sunshine –SH_

_Never.  You know you love it. –GL_

_Wrong –SH_

_Well, irrelevant.  You can’t tell anyone I’m alive.  Molly and Mycroft – and now you – are the only ones who know –SH_

 Lestrade was flabbergasted.  _Wait, Molly knows? –GL_

_Of course she knows.  She helped me. –SH_

Maybe there was more to Miss Hooper than met the eye.  _How the hell was she able to keep this secret?! –GL_

_I made her swear not to tell anyone.  I didn’t think it would work for so long –SH_

_Just…tell me you’ll be back soon. –GL_

_I’ll be back eventually –SH_

_How soon is ‘eventually’? A few weeks?  Twenty years?  Tell me I’ll still be alive when you return –GL_

_Have a little faith.  Twenty years?  It’d be impossible for me to work that slowly.  A year at most –SH_

_…Okay. I think I can live with that –GL_

_Can I…keep this number?  Just in case? –GL_

_Fine.  But don’t start texting me unless it’s an emergency. –SH_

_I swear. –GL_

_And put it under some fake name –SH_

_No shit, Sherlock.  I’m not that much of an idiot. -GL_

_Sometimes I wonder –SH_

_Thanks a lot. –GL_

He could feel the bitterness rising in him again, or was that the whiskey?  Either way, before Sherlock could reply, he shot off another text  _You really hate me, don’t you?  For all the shit I put you through –GL_

_I’m really, really sorry, if it means anything –GL_

There was still no response.  Lestrade was desperate; what if he had hit too close to home?

_….I may be a little drunk right now –GL_

_I hate Moriarty much more than I hate you.  I don’t even think I hate you   You’re actually…never mind. –SH_

_Stop drinking, Lestrade.  I won’t have you drunkenly declaring my existence to the world. –SH_

_I won’t.  Who talks to me anymore?  I lost my wife, I lost my kids, I lost my job.  No friends –GL_

_What happened with your wife? –SH_

_Oh, like you didn’t deduce it when I came to Baskerville from holiday without my wedding ring –GL_

_I did, but wouldn’t a normal person ask? –SH_

_Hahaha, well done Sherlock.  It only took you dying to make you act like a normal human being. –GL_

_I just…don’t ever fucking change, okay? -GL_

_Lestrade, stop drinking –SH_

_Why?  Give me three good reasons –GL_

_You get stupid when you drink.  That should be enough of a reason –SH_

_Hey, I’m spelling everything right at least.  I’m making sure.  What more could you ask for? –GL_

_You to be sober –SH_

_I don’t’ like being sober anymore.  Sober is boring –GL_ Lestrade grinned, feeling inordinately pleased at turning Sherlock’s own words against him.

_Lestrade, you need to stop drinking in general.  Go get a job –SH_

_What would be the point? –GL_ Okay, that was pretty morose, even for him.  Maybe Sherlock had a point.  _Don’t answer that.  I’m putting the bottle away now –GL_

_Good.  Don’t touch it again.  I don’t want to have to make Mycroft check up on you as well. –SH_

_God, don’t send that insufferable twat over here –GL_

_He is insufferable, I’ll agree with you there –SH_

_What time is it where you are? –GL_

_I’m in London.  I’m in the same time zone as you –SH_

Lestrade nearly dropped the phone in shock.  _You’re still in London??  Damnit, where are you? –GL_

_I haven’t been in London this whole time.  I just got back a few days ago –SH_

_Aren’t you worried John will see you on the street? –GL_

_I’ve disguised myself well enough.  He won’t notice me –SH_

That was intriguing.  _Disguised yourself how? –GL_

_Now why would I tell you that?   You’re drunk.  You’d just come looking for me –SH_

Well, damn.  Of course, a lesser man than Sherlock Holmes would have seen through that.  _Fine.  Be like that.  If I can’t come to you, why can’t you come to me?  Come ‘round the flat just so I can see you and make sure you’re not some clever ruse –GL_

_Lestrade, I don’t think that’s a very smart idea –SH_

_Then how will I know you’re real and not some alcohol-induced delusion? –GL_

_You can trust me.  Do you often imagine that I talk to you while you’re drunk? –SH_

_No.  Shut up.  Mostly I think about what I would say to you if you were still alive.  But you never respond back because of the whole death thing. –GL_

_Well, here’s your chance to say them. –SH_

_I’ve said most everything –GL_

_There’s still one last thing, but I’m not drunk enough for THAT.  I’ll wait until I see you in person. –GL_

_That could take a while –SH_

_Don’t care.  I’ll wait for you –GL_

_You’re still drunk –SH_

_…Maybe –GL_

_Are you going to be okay?  Do you need help or something? –SH_

I’ll be damned, Lestrade thought.  He really did care.  Maybe he didn’t hate Lestrade after all.

_I’ll be fine.  I’m always fine, you know that.  I muddle through. –GL_

_Just…don’t send Mycroft.  Else I’ll punch him.  Again –GL_

_You punched my brother?  Well done –SH_

_He deserved it –GL_

_I’m sure he did.  What did he do? –SH_

_The usual.  Being all high and mighty when I’d been through probably the worst day of my life.  It was just after your funeral.  I didn’t attend –GL_

_I understand.  I hate that they had one for me.  There’s no sense, when I don’t have any friends –SH_

_What about John?  What about me?  After all the times I took care of you when you were going through withdrawals? –GL_

_I just…thank you for that – really.  But you can’t tell me you count me as one of your friends –SH_

_Okay.  Fine.  Yup, no problem. –GL_

_Alright fine, I suppose you’re my friend.  Moriarty threatened you for a reason –SH_

Lestrade was so shocked, he nearly forgot to reply. _He what? –GL_

_Never mind.  Forget I said it. –SH_

_No, wait….Damnit, my head is starting to hurt.  When did he threaten me? –GL_

_It’s not important.  I took care of it –SH_

_You took…never mind, I don’t want to know.  Even if I’m not on the Force anymore, I don’t want to hear about any of it. –GL_

_Good.  Just don’t worry about it. You’re safe.  I made sure of it –SH_

_And you?  Are you safe? –GL_

_I will be –SH_

_I want you safe. –GL_

_So do I.  I’ll be safe eventually.  Then I’ll come back and you can slap me or whatever –Sh_

_I’ll hold you to that.  If you’re not back within a year, I will hunt you down –GL_

_Best of luck finding me –SH_

_Your brother owes me one or two favours.  I may not like the little rat bastard, but he does pay his debts –GL_

_You wouldn’t –SH_

_Oh, but I would.  Don’t test me –GL_

_Then I’ll just have to change my disguise before I hit a year –SH_

_Or you could, you know, finish up quickly –GL_

_There’s that, too –SH_

The conversation seemed to be petering out.  Lestrade desperately wanted it to keep going, but found he had nothing more to say.  He was getting sleepy.

_I’m falling asleep here, mate –GL_

_Go to sleep then.  Sleep on your side, though…I don’t know how drunk you are –SH_

_I’m not that bad.  I don’t want to go to sleep.  I don’t want you to stop talking to me.  And I don’t want all this to have just been a dream –GL_

_It’s not a dream.  I promise –SH_

_Okay, I believe you.  I always believe you.  Remember that –GL_

_Oh, and Sherlock? –GL_

_Yes? –SH_

_Don’t forget…there’s still that one thing I haven’t told you yet.  Don’t forget.  I’m going to tell you when you come home –GL_

_Why don’t you just tell me now?  You might forget by the time we see each other –SH_

_I won’t.  This isn’t the sort of thing that can be said through text.  Gives you and incentive to stay alive and come see me, doesn’t it?  Because I know you.  You can’t stand not knowing something –GL_

_You’re right.  I’m incredibly curious.  Though I could just write it off as you being drunk. –SH_

_You could.  You’d be wrong, though.  And we all know Sherlock Holmes is never wrong. -GL_

_Okay, I’m going to sleep now –GL_

_Good night, Sunshine –GL_

_Good night, Lestrade –SH_

_Don’t call me Sunshine –SH_

Lestrade grinned and climbed the stairs to his bedroom.  That night, he slept better than he had in months.  He didn’t even notice when a slight figure slipped into his room and just watched him.  It stayed there for nearly half an hour, then placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before slipping out again.

When Lestrade awoke, the first thing he did was grab his mobile and attempt to send a text to the number from last night.  It bounced back as undeliverable.


End file.
